Tourism, Marketing & Public Relations

The Town of Farragut, Tennessee, has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ No. 2026-09) for comprehensive Tourism, Marketing, and Public Relations Services. The procurement seeks a full-service agency to develop and implement a digital marketing strategy focused on attracting visitors from beyond 50 miles, with a robust scope of work including digital content planning, social media management, email marketing, and sponsored content creation. Key deliverables include producing video and photography assets, developing advertising templates, creating cross-platform creative assets, and proposing a strategic digital media calendar. The project requires comprehensive services such as brand identity review, digital advertising campaign planning across platforms like Tripadvisor, Meta, and Groundtruth, and detailed performance analysis with data-driven recommendations. Evaluation criteria are weighted across four primary areas: related experience (35 points), client references and credentials (20 points), project approach and timeline (30 points), and team availability (15 points). The solicitation timeline includes a pre-bid meeting on May 14, 2025, a question deadline of June 5, 2025, and proposal submissions due on June 10, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. The Town plans to announce the award on June 14, 2025, with Board approval and contract signing by June 26, 2025, and full project completion required by March 31, 2026.

There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types, and the Town explicitly states no preference is given to local vendors. Currently, the Town does not have an incumbent vendor for these services, as this represents a new contract opportunity. The existing digital marketing infrastructure includes quarterly Meta advertising campaigns, TripAdvisor ad placements, Google Search Engine Marketing, geofencing ads, and monthly e-newsletter distribution through Constant Contact. The project budget range is estimated between $24,000 and $29,000, funded through grant funds pending final grantor approval. The Town currently lacks formalized demographic data on visitor profiles and has expressed openness to vendor recommendations for diversifying marketing platforms and tactics. Proposals must be submitted in paper format, with one original and three copies, and will be evaluated based on company qualifications, staff experience, references, and service delivery approach. All submitted information is subject to Tennessee's Open Records Act, making the proposals potentially available for public disclosure.